I've had type 1 diabetes since 1960, nearly 53 years. Since 1979, I've been a vegetarian, first ovo-lacto, but now I prefer to eat more raw/organic foods, only gluten-free bread if I eat any bread at all, only grains like quinoa, sprouted grains, if I eat any grains at all. I try to have a green smoothie almost every day (almond milk, vegetarian protein powder, fish oil, chia seeds, fruit, lots of kale and other greens) and have it late morning to early afternoon. I occasionally have nut butters and nuts but not very much at all. I don't do dairy/eggs. Occasionally, I'll have clarified butter on gluten-free toast. I'll use olive oil, coconut oil, pumpkin seed oil, etc. on my steamed vegetables, and or salads. I dilute my fruit juices most of the time.

At my current workplace, I am very active, being a cashier. On my days off, I am much more sedentary except for one-half hour treadmill walks two times a week.

I am trying to work with Humulin N/Humulin R, (4 units of Regular in the morning combined with 18 units of NPH), and 5 units of Humulin NPH in the evening. Occasionally, I'll add one-half a unit of Humulin Regular at dinnertime depending upon what I eat.

But I also have long-term gastroparesis, which throws a monkey wrench into dosing, and my blood sugars are not even/steady. Since I'm also a Type A personality, I am adding in massage and acupuncture to help. What else can I do to improve my control?

Here's some specific data:

Date

Time

Blood Sugar

Action

September 29

8:30 a.m.

133 mg/dl [7.4 mmol/L]

4 R, 18 N, toast, tahini and juice all day

6:30 p.m.

175 mg/dl [9.8 mmol/L]

1 R, 5 N

11:30 p.m.

unknown

0.5 R

September 30

8:03 a.m.

98 mg/dl [5.4 mmol/L]

4 R, 18 N

unknown

unknown

salmon, rice and broccoli for lunch (had two chia bars, acai juice and two maple candies when felt low

6:30 p.m.

59 mg/dl [3.3 mmol/L]

none

7:20 p.m.

unknown

5 N

October 1

12:20 a.m.

188 mg/dl [10.4 mmol/]

None

8:05 a.m.

164 mg/dl [9.1 mmol/L

4 R, 18 N

6:56 p.m.

221 mg/dl [12.3 mmol/L]

1 R, 5 N

October 2

1:30 a.m.

134 mg/dl [7.4 mmol/L]

None

8:30 a.m.

331 mg/dl [18.4 mmol/L]

4 R, 18 N

10:00 p.m.

unknown

hamburger, sweet potato fries, juice, spinach

October 3

6:30 a.m.

389 mg/dl [21.6 mmol/L]

None

8:30 a.m.

unknown

4 R, 18 N

10:30 a.m.

310 mg/dl [17.2 mmol/L]

2 H

1:10 p.m.

66 mg/dl [3.7 mmol/L]

Smoothie and piece of fruit

5:20 p.m.

166 mg/dl [9.2 mmol/L]

1 R, 5 N

October 4

12:40 a.m.

unknown

half piece of bread and butter with jam

2:30 a.m.

unknown

felt shaky-juice, half piece of bread and butter with jam

8:30 a.m.

374 mg/dl [20.8 mmo/L]

4 R, 18 N

1:10 p.m.

149 mg/dl [8.3 mmol/L]

Had just completed a long walk

4:59 p.m.

320 mg/dl [17.8 mmol/L]

2 R, 5 N--salad, salmon, zucchini pancake

10:36 p.m.

189 mg/dl [10.5 mmol/L]

None

11:10 p.m.

211 mg/dl [11.7 mmol/L]

1 R

October 5

8:06 a.m.

215 mg/dl [11.9 mmol/L]

5 R, 18 N

1:28 p.m.

430 mg/dl [23.4 mmol/L]

2 R

5:15

285 mg/dl [15.8 mmol/L]

unknown

10:54 p.m.

205 mg/dl [11.3 mmol/L]

1 R

October 6

8:37 a.m.

179 mg/dl [9.9 mmol/L

5 R, 19 N

12:36 p.m.

213 mg/dl [11.8 mmol/L]

unknown

1:50 p.m.

143 mg/dl [7.9 mmol/L]

unknown

5:22 p.m.

95 mg/dl [5.3 mmol/L]

unknown

10:43p.m.

447 mg/dl [24.8 mmol/L]

3 R, 1 H

Answer:

The NPH is harder to use with its peak at 8 to 10 hours. Regular insulin is even more difficult to use. Regular insulin has to be given 30 to 45 minutes before meals and it lasts much longer than the other short-acting insulin analogs. This means that a dose of Regular insulin given at a late night supper can still hang around into the night while the person is sleeping and potentiate low blood sugars.

Last Updated: Wednesday October 23, 2013 21:15:27
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